Google Workspace Introduces AI Tools to Enhance Meeting Productivity and Strengthen Data Security

Google is enhancing its business productivity suite with exciting new features aimed at boosting efficiency and security. The introduction of two new commercial programs allows Gemini to facilitate power meetings and fortify data security, available at just $10 per user per month. Additionally, Google Workspace’s extensive user base of 3 billion will soon have access to Google Vids, an AI-driven video creation tool designed for the workplace.

“Our announcements focus on two key pillars,” said Aparna Pappu, Google’s Vice President and General Manager of Workspace, during a recent press briefing. “These are the main reasons users choose Workspace: AI and Security.” Pappu highlighted that over a million individuals and thousands of companies utilized generative AI within Workspace last year in various innovative ways.

AI-Powered Meetings and Messaging

Google's first paid plan for Workspace customers leverages Gemini to streamline meeting tasks. Features such as “Take notes for me” (currently in preview) allow users to focus on discussions while AI captures key points.

A “Translate for me” feature, launching in June, will automatically identify and translate captions in Google Meet, supporting 69 languages and 4,600 language pairs, making it ideal for organizations with global teams.

“We're dedicated to enhancing our users' meeting experiences,” Pappu stated, citing a benchmarking study that found “Google Meet outperformed Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and WebEx in overall video and audio quality.”

Later this year, Google will also introduce automatic translation of messages and on-demand conversation summaries within Google Chat.

Enhanced AI Security

“Google Workspace is built on zero trust principles and fortified with AI-powered threat defenses,” Pappu explained. With advanced large language models, the platform blocks 20% more spam in Gmail and reviews user-reported spam thousands of times faster while swiftly responding to emerging phishing attacks in Drive.

The second commercial plan focuses on data protection, addressing IT professionals’ concerns around data breaches. With the AI Security add-on, organizations can automatically classify and secure sensitive files in Google Drive. Upcoming features will extend DLP controls and classification labels to Gmail, enhancing email security. Google is also partnering with Thales and Fortainix to introduce experimental post-quantum cryptography support in client-side encryption.

“AI benefits not only end users but also admins,” Pappu noted, “allowing them to enforce data leak prevention controls and protect sensitive data across the Workspace suite.”

Empowering Storytelling with Google Vids

Google Vids offers a comprehensive app that enables organizations to write, edit, and produce effective video content. This tool aims to streamline storytelling for onboarding, training, and sales, enhancing communication and engagement within companies.

Additional Workspace Enhancements

Google is also rolling out new AI features in Gmail, Sheets, Docs, and Chat:

- Gmail: Users can now utilize voice prompting with the “Help me write” feature, enabling quick email creation through voice input, which will facilitate faster communication on mobile devices.

- Google Sheets: A new table feature will soon be available, improving data formatting and organization.

- Google Docs: A tab feature will help users organize information within a single document, eliminating the need for linking multiple files. Users will also be able to insert full-bleed cover images.

- Google Chat: The maximum number of participants in a chat space has increased to 500,000, with enhanced messaging interoperability with Slack and Microsoft Teams via Mio, promoting seamless communication across platforms.

“As we witness how our customers creatively utilize Workspace and Gemini, we are inspired to build tools that make work more impactful, inclusive, and fulfilling,” Pappu remarked.